"They've been also here..." Chase said as he sniffed at the lumps and ashes remnant of campfire. There was this smell of roasted meat and strawberries lingering in the air.Ethan couldn't help but beam with joy as he pumped his fists and leaped up. I can't believe we're getting closer and closer to finding Cassio! Knowing he's still alive makes me very happy!"Uh, why are you so happy?" Chase asked as he raised an eyebrow (that's if dogs had eyebrows).Ethan regained composure and cleared his throat, "We're getting close in finding Cassio. Shouldn't I be naturally happy?""Technically, yes," Chase pondered. "Logically, no. We haven't found him yet. This scent should have been here for hours or so.""Whatever," Ethan rolled his eyes. "Just tell me when we're going to catch up with them."Chase narrowed his golden eyes as he began counting his 'fingers' with an extremely focused expression. Ethan didn't disturb him as he went about searching for something."By my calculation..." Chase w
Suddenly a man walked out of the shadows holding two broadswords in his hands. His eyes were very black and almost seemed soulless, devoid of any emotion. His face was very grim, not failing to betray his strong intent to kill everyone in sight. Dressed in a black leather outfit and a scar running down his left face, he exuded the aura of a notorious outlaw who cared nothing about the law.How...is...he...making...me..cower...in...fear...Cassio was the only one who managed to have his rationality. The others were already in a frenzy, either peeing or pooing on themselves. Ken Orion was the only one who neither peed nor pood. Maybe it was due to his strong Will Body."It's not surprising you were able to break free from my influence some moments ago," the man said, flashing a warm smile as if he had seen a long lost brother. "Well, that moment of your reign has ended. Even if you're tainted by Cthulhu, you'll still fall by my hands!"With a swing of his sword the other mercenaries wer
The Boxer jumped into the air, his muscles tightening as he concentrated all his energy into his fists to deliver fatal attacks. As a Boxer he possessed powerful hand-to-hand combat techniques and could punch several times above his weight. Each of his punch would carry tons of weight, making them very deadly."Leave this to me!" Ken shouted as he swung his broadsword in the air, channeling all his energy into the sword. He felt his Will Body tremble as it powered his entire body, making whatever attack he would make with his broadsword deadly.Bam!The Boxer punched at Ken, his right fist tearing through the air like a canon. The atmosphere carried a kind of pressure which weighed heavily upon Ken.Ken quickly slid underneath the punch and swung his arm at the man's wrist, aiming to cut off his right hand with his broadsword.The Boxer smiled as he quickly retreated his hand to grab the blade of the broadsword, his lips curling into a wide smile. He then threw another punch at Ken's
Tap! Tap! Tap! Lemuel stared at Ken and Cassio as he rapped the arm of his throne with his right hand, his eyes having a hint of anger. Cassio had his head bowed, waiting to here what verdict the king would pass. Earlier he had been told by General Louis to keep his head bowed while conversing with the king who would no doubt be angry. "How many times have I warned you not to sneak out of the castle?!" Lemuel was now visibly angry, clenching his fists. "I had to!" Ken said, raising his head up. "I had to do that for the betterment of the people. The Chaldeans are causing so much deaths!" "So?" Lemuel said. "How's that your business? The military is doing their thing as well as the Church!" Ken wanted to curse the Church but he pressed his lips together, swallowing the words that would have come out. The Church was nothing but a bunch of fanatic priests who cared about nothing else but giving sermons! "You almost got yourself killed if not for General Louis!" Lemuel said. "You pu
Ken went to sit down in the chair facing the window, closing the book which was lying on the desk. It appears he had been reading just now."You're an avid reader," Cassio commented, staring at the bookshelf which he had failed to notice when he entered the room earlier. There were so many books arranged nearly in it, some caked in dust."I have a fond for knowledge," Ken said. "Life in the castle is so boring, books became my partners.""I don't find here boring," Cassio said his mind. "It's so quiet and shut out of the rest of the city, giving me a sense of serenity.""How long can you stay here while not frequently interacting with people," Ken asked as he took out a brown book from a locker within the desk."At least a year," Cassio replied truthfully. I'm not a social person."You need a treatment," Ken said. "Only sick people can stay alone for a year. Even mad people need companions."At least a year...Cassio corrected inwardly and resisted the urge to frown and say something o
A figure dressed in a black leather trenchcoat and trouser dashed through the forest, moving with so much stealth that he didn't make a sound while running across the leaves. It was as if he was running in the air, not coming in contact with the ground. He had a brown hair, brown eyes and narrow lips, his expression very grim as if he had lost something very precious to him. A black hilted sword was strapped to his left side, his right hand calmly placed on it as he ran through the forest.Suddenly he stopped and crouched, his eyes scanning his environment while his ears perked up to listen to distinct sounds. Every scene and sound was distinguishable to him and he could even observe and hear things from over 100 meters to 200 meters.Charcoal, men dressed in black and happy laughter...he outlined what he smelled, saw and heard in his mind. His brown eyes narrowed as he took out a piece of crumbled paper from the right pocket of his black trenchcoat. There was a neat handwriting which
Ethan panted as he finally reached the top of a hill, dropping to the ground with a loud thud. Beads of perspiration dropped from his body, causing his shirt to be sticky. His expression was extremely weary, his eyes having this glint of hopelessness in them. Chase also lay beside him, catching his breathe. Both human and dog didn't say anything for some minutes, trying to regain their energy.For hours now they had been walking towards the north, going through forest paths without meeting a single human being. They hid and moved stealthily to avoid being spotted by bandits or wild animals. They weren't powerful enough to handle any peril if they were met with one now. So they decided to be very cautious as it was better to be safe than sorry."When are we going to see Cassio?" Ethan asked, losing all the hope he had. "We've been going for two days now and we still haven't found him. He's the only relative I remember..."Chase couldn't help but sigh as he said, "We would have gotten t
That night Cassio was temporarily assigned to a room in the castle. It belonged to Prince Ken's bodyguards and had previously been inhabited by Matthew and Thorne. But now it was empty because Matthew was still undergoing treatment (his condition had being too grave) while Thorne was dead and gone.Cassio let out a deep sigh as he stared at the large bedroom with two medium size beds and a cubicle which served as the bathroom. There was a large wardrobe standing at a corner of the room and a wooden desk and chair facing the window just like in Ken's room. But unlike Ken's, the desk and chair were covered in dust, evident that they had not been used for a long time.Not everyone pursues knowledge, he muttered to himself as he walked to the bed nearest to the window and sat down, his palms covering his face. I've made it to the castle but it's still uncertain if I can succeed in becoming a knight.Cassio stood up and walked towards the desk. Apart from a mirror, feather and ink on top,